


Friendship Never Ends

by Zetal (Rodinia)



Series: YoI Ships Bingo [29]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Proto-Yuuko/Takeshi, Referenced Bullying, Spice Girls Reference, Yuuko As Friend, Yuuri's Bad Day, Yuuri's Crush On Yuuko, Yuuri's Crush on Viktor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-16 17:22:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12347172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/pseuds/Zetal
Summary: Yuuri had a bad day.  Yuuko cheers him up by being ridiculous.





	Friendship Never Ends

**Author's Note:**

> Written for YoI Ship Bingo  
> Square: Yuuri/Yuuko
> 
> [Prompt:](https://hellsdemonictrinity.tumblr.com/post/160523410875/angstfluff-prompt-list) "That's in the past."

Yuuri wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die. School had been rough that day – rougher than usual. He was behind after missing for the regional competition, where he hadn’t done as well as he’d hoped. He’d done poorly on the day’s work and hadn’t made much progress in catching up. His classmates had been cruel about it. Then he went skating, trying to fix his mistakes in the free skate that had cost him a trip to Junior Nationals, when Takeshi had showed up. Takeshi hadn’t even done anything to Yuuri aside from say hello, he just got on the other end of the rink and started practicing some jumps, but Yuuri had been uncomfortable and left.

He couldn’t crawl into a hole. What he could do was go home, get Vicchan, and go sit on the beach. His dog didn’t care a bit if he couldn’t land a triple flip, or explain photosynthesis, or do much of anything. Vicchan was never mean to him, all he ever asked for was food and petting. Like his counterpart belonging to his namesake, he was a cuddler and very happy to spend whatever time he could in Yuuri’s lap getting his ears scratched and his belly rubbed.

“Hi, Yuuri.” Yuuko settled in beside him, causing Yuuri to squirm a little. Yuuko was his best friend. Yuuko was also one of two people he had a massive crush on, and the other person was more like a god than someone Yuuri could ever hope to speak to. Yuuko saw him as a little brother, so the crush wasn’t going to lead anywhere, so he tried not to let it make things awkward. It was hard sometimes, and right now was one of those times, with her sitting so close and being so nice after the long day.

“Hi, Yuuko.” Vicchan whined a bit as Yuuri stopped scratching his ears. “What brings you out here?”

Yuuko reached over and took up the job of paying attention to Vicchan. “Takeshi was worried about you. He said you looked like you were having a bad day, but then you left when he came out to keep you company.”

“What does Takeshi care? He hates me.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“He knocks me over and makes fun of me all the time!” Yuuko was often right there to tell him off when he did, too, so what was with her making apologies for him?

“That’s in the past.” Yuuri opened his mouth to argue, but Yuuko cut him off. “When was the last time he was mean to you?”

Yuuri had to think about that. As he did, he realized, “It’s been months.”

“Exactly!” Yuuko smiled softly at him. “Takeshi is trying to change.”

“Why?” Was he just being set up for something big down the line? Or was Takeshi actually trying to be nice?

“Because I told him that if he didn’t, then I wasn’t going to be friends with him anymore.” Yuuko giggled. “Which given that he wants to date me…”

That was not what Yuuri had expected to hear. Yuuko was sixteen, of course she was starting to think about boys, but Takeshi? Well, if that’s what Yuuko wanted… “If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends?”

“Exactly!” More giggles. “If the two of you can make peace, he’s the best guy available in Hasetsu for me, but you’re too important to me to get with someone who thinks it’s okay to hurt you.” Yuuri had no idea what to say to that. He appreciated it, but at the same time, he didn’t want to cause problems for Yuuko if she really liked someone. Yuuko sensed the awkwardness and changed the subject. “What happened today? You seem really down.”

“Nothing worse than usual right after a competition where I thought I should have done better, but it felt worse because of the things people were saying about me. Things like I’d better hope I have what it takes to be an athlete, because I’ll never make it as a student. I’ll be lucky to get into high school, let alone university.”

Yuuko leaned against his shoulder. “Aren’t you thinking about going to university in America anyway?”

“Only if I can get enough scholarship or sponsorship money that Mom and Dad don’t have to pay for it. University in America is expensive, and that’s before factoring in rink fees, coaching fees, costume and equipment costs, travel costs for competitions… and I still have to pass the entrance exam for high school and earn that diploma.” The rate he was going, he wasn’t going to do either of those, which meant no scholarship money, and if he couldn’t get his skating in order, no sponsorship money either.

“Takeshi passed the exam. If he did, you can.”

As much as Yuuri appreciated the joke, it wasn’t enough to reassure him. “Takeshi wasn’t still skating competitively! It’s just going to get worse from here. I’m going to have more competitions, some even international if I’m lucky or good enough, and I don’t know what to do. If I can’t keep up in school already… but if I cut back on my training, I’ll never make it to Viktor.”

“I can help you with school. So can Mari, she’s smart.” Yuuko nudged him. “I’ve never met anyone who works harder than you do, and that’s important in both school and skating. You’ll find a way to do both.”

Yuuri didn’t believe her, but he’d never insult her by saying that. “Why did you give up competitive skating? You could have been so good!”

“I never had a dream the way you do. It was fun, and I liked winning ribbons, but I didn’t like the traveling or the long hours of training and the constant pain in my legs and feet. I didn’t want to put in the work I’d need to reach a level where I could make it worth the investment.”

“Don’t you want to meet Viktor?”

“Of course I do! As a fan. I’d love to get his autograph and maybe a selfie. You want so much more. You want to meet him on the ice, earn his respect as an equal.” Yuuko winked at him. “Win his love.”

“Yuuko!”

Yuuko sat up and pretended to look shocked and disappointed. “Oh, so you’re like all the others then? All you want from him is his body?”

“No!” Yuuri hid his face. “Although… if I ever do get to meet him and he offered…”

Yuuko giggled again. “Good boy, Yuuri! That’s the spirit!”

“You’re so ridiculous, Yuuko.”

“But you feel better. Right?”

Yuuri lifted his face out of his hands. Now that she mentioned it, he did. “Thanks, Yuuko. You’re the best.”

“Will you come skate with me and Takeshi?”

Yuuri considered it. If Yuuko wanted Takeshi… Yuuri could give him a chance. For her. Still, he shook his head. “Not tonight. I need to get some schoolwork made up, but another time.”


End file.
